British composer Laura Bowler’s new work for voice and orchestra is based on Booker and Nobel Prize-winning author Han Kang’s The White Book – a poetic meditation on colour, grief and the human spirit. The UK premiere of this work will take place at the Barbican on 4 March, with a follow-up performance on 5 March, with soloist Barbara Hannigan and accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra, one of three orchestras who participated in commissioning the work. A performer and vocalist herself, Bowler’s settings are sure to make the most of Barbara Hannigan’s theatrical stage presence and their shared flair for the dramatic.
4 March @ 6:30pm “Half Six Fix”
Kick-start your evening with a 60-minute Half Six Fix concert. Introduced by the artists involved, this performance includes an introductory talk with the composer of The White Book, Laura Bowler, in conversation with music writer and broadcaster Flora Willson. The talk and performance will finish at around 7:30pm
Conducting this concert, and sharing the stage with her mentor Barbara Hannigan, is rising star Bar Avni, First Prize winner of the 2024 La Maestra competition in Paris.
For the 4 March performance there is a special 2-for-1 ticket offer, subject to availability. Use the discount code BOWLER241
5 March @ 7:00pm
Laura Bowler’s The White Book preludes Ligeti’s ethereal, dreamlike soundworld and Richard Strauss’ colossal, awe-inspiring homage to Nietzsche:
Programme
Laura Bowler: The White Book* (36 mins)
– Interval –
György Ligeti: Lontano (11 mins)
Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra (34 mins)
The Performers
Barbara Hannigan conductor & soprano
Bar Avni conductor*
London Symphony Orchestra
The concert will finish at approximately 9.05pm, including a 20-minute interval (timings subject to change).
Barbara Hannigan introduces the concerts in her Instagram post below:
(automatically generated) We didn’t review this event, but The Guardian did, here.